Looks like Bang Camaro might be playing Rocklahoma. I mean, it's hard to tell because the festival hasn't put an official release listing all the bands in ages...but the side stage lineup was announced yesterday and Bang Camaro is on it.

Why are Bang Camaro on a side stage?

Let me rephrase: why are any national bands on side stages when the main stage talent is so sparse/random/weak?

Bang Camaro is a national band. Modern? Yes. Famous? Yes. Could they sell tickets? Yes. Move them to the main stage.

Let's review.

Tracii's L.A. Guns are on a side stage. Tracii personally told me this was his choice because he didn't want to play in the midday sun. I respect that as playing Oklahoma in the middle of July is sort of like signing up to walk barefoot on hot coals while already having a sunburn on 100% of your body. Yeah, it ain't fun. Actually, fun and being outside in Oklahoma during July don't really go together period, but whatever. I hope it rains again and the mud people come back. Ah, that would be great. Mud and stink for days. Or not.

Big Cock - also side stage. They are main stage worthy. David Henzerling is my friend, he rocks harder than you and, oh yeah, Robert Mason can sing his ass off. Move them to the main stage.

Dirty Looks - side stage. Seriously? This is a band that has never played Rocklahoma. Die hard Glam fanatics have been asking for this band for ages. Dirty Looks trump Stryper. Move Dirty Looks to the main stage.

Who else is on a side stage that would have previously been main stage caliber? Let's see: D'Molls, Baton Rouge, Faster Pussycat, Britny Fox and about a dozen more.

Damn, son - I don't get it. Here I am, lucky enough to go to Rocklahoma for free but choose to pay to support both the festival and the bands and to keep my bias in check - but somethin' gotta give. By the time it's all said and done, I will have dropped about two grand on the third installment of Rocklahoma. That's money that could have gone to Hawaii, some really fancy Glam stage clothes...or therapy. Perhaps all three.

So, here I am, looking at a credit card bill for two grand in one hand and a bizarre festival lineup in the other. Apparently you can do some weird upgrade experience at Rocklahoma this year meaning you can pay more money and sit on the stage and get access to a fancy lounge. Rock Gone Wild is doing this, but the lounge access is included in your platinum ticket. Let me reiterate that I already paid for a Rocklahoma V.I.P. ticket which is apparently now worthless in the standard "I'm a very important person" sort of fashion. Shame, really, as I was looking forward to being a V.I.P. again.

I dunno. Are there good bands slated for Rockalhoma 09? Hell yes, chiefly Kix, Big Cock, RATT, Lillian Axe and Baton Rouge - in that order. That's five bands...divided by two grand...eh, screw it.

At this point, it is what it is: I will go to Rocklahoma and have fun with my husband Eric, Christian and Kari; won't drink any watered down beer and will attempt to stay out of the sun as much as possible. I won't think of how I could have used that two grand for front row at Aerosmith or even American Idols Live to see Adam Lambert. No, I will go to America's biggest Glam festival, wearing a Bring Back Glam! T-shirt and review the show. Every day I will reiterate that most of the side stage bands should be rocking the main stage and I'll provide photographic evidence of both bands and crowd size.

Reader Comments (48)

Well, I am obviously going. I agree with every word of this. ROK was best the first year, but last years lineup at least made SOME sort of sense. At this stage, I don't know what to think, but it's obvious they have no idea how to run a festival. The lack of updates to their website is proof enough of that. The whole 'pay to be on stage' thing is a real joke. So, they can't sell any more tickets, they figure they can get more money from the people who paid already ? Haven't we paid enough ? People on the forums get upset when anyone points this out, but there is NO correlation between the ticket prices (which went up) and the cost of the lineup. That's why ROK will be empty this year ( I wonder what attendance they will claim, the difference is if they lie this year, it will be a lot easier to see it, you'll be able to fit everyone into one photo and count them ).

c'mon Allyson , you always talk about the cost of these shows,etc. but you still ante up the cash, so you bring it on yourself! When a lineup underwhelms you or a band/artist doesn't meet your approval, you still pay the outrageous ticket prices! Is this summer's Rocklahoma lineup a slam dunk? hell no, but unlike you, I paid barely anything for great seats off a guy from ebay who chose not to go, will have my Ohio beer in stock while tailgating in my car that gets amazing gas mileage on a 11 hour drive that's way cheaper and cooler than flying everywhere! Also you forgot to mention the mighty Danger Danger who will rule! Great shows don't require tons of cash, I mean I'm a big Aerosmith fan but their prices this year are a slap in the face but apparently you would give these rich rockstars your money for "front row" and I won't even comment on the American Idol sadness!

I'm surprised Bang Camero was even added to the line up. I think they're probably one of the most overrated bands out there right now. If it wasn't for their gimmick of having 10-20 lead singers, they wouldn't be famous at all. I saw them live on the Lynyrd Skynyrd cruise this past January and they were wasted and sounded terrible. Did anyone see them on Jimmy Kimmel a week or two ago? They were freaking awful. I'd skip this band at Rocklahoma and go watch all the others who will be WAY better.

I just saw the side stage band lineup last night and saw the "upagrade" feature as well. I am FURIOUS! As if $450 VIP isn't enough money to spend on such a weak lineup. I'm right there with ya Ally on the entire situation.Yeah and I think Bang Tango and Baton Rouge are playing at the same time. WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ABOUT? yes, i'm not going thursday but one of the bands I was soooooo sooooo excited to see and looking forward to see is playing a side stage thursday night. UGH! Guess I paid $450 for a VIP ticket and get stuck with SIDESTAGELAHOMA. F these guys!

Ok, I apologize for coming off so harsh. Yes,I'm still going and yes, I'll probably have a great time. It is what it is, and I'll have fun with my friends. So much for a front row ticket being worth anything though. thank god RATT was announced this week! Dirty Penny posted last night that they have a show on July 10 (thank god for them too).

I was going to go at first, but looks like I'm not going to be able to.

I personally love the lineup...so many bands are performing for the first time in quite a while! So many greatly underrated bands that you don't get to see a lot... I would love to go, but am not going to able to. So if you get to go, consider yourself lucky and stop complaining! Just enjoy it...

Well, as a paying customer to ROK for the first two years (and spending over a grand each time for tickets, airfare from Baltimore, RV rental and other expenses) I can tell you ROK has really ripped off everyone who bought tickets this year. Anyone with common sense can see that the increased VIP prices and the lineup brought together this year is not justified. I mean if I was going here are the bands I would WANT to see:KIX, Ratt, Twisted Sister, Baton Rouge, Danger Danger, Night Ranger, Faster Pussycat and Great White. If John Bush was singing with Anthrax, then maybe them as well. But that's it!!!! The rest is not who I would expect or WANT to see at ROK.BTW...I have said this a million times, one can argue that the M3 Rock Festival in Maryland has a better one day lineup then the entire 4 DAY Rocklahoma lineup!!! I mean M3 has two of the 4 ROK headliners in it's one day lineup plus Extreme, Kix, Dokken, Phil's LA Guns, Slaughter, Jani Lane, Steel Panther, Bulletboys, Gilby Clarke,Y&T, XYZ, Jetboy and Keel!!! Now THAT is an 80's rock lineup!!!

I cannot wait for ROK this summer!! The festival will be awesome and I cannot wait to see some of these bands. I am most excited for Bang Camaro!! What an awesome live show they produce, really bringing the pain and rocking hard. I love the mass of singers they have and their show is going to be the best!!

The best line-up at ANY festival this year. Bonfire , Baton Rouge , Bai Bang , Icon , Warrior , Stryper , Saxon - the list just keeps getting better and better.No other festival touches this one , not even close. THIS is what music is about. TALENT. Forget the washed-up shoe-gazing whiney alternative acts - Rocklahoma has the strongest line-up that 80s Rock has to offer this year. AND yes Bang Camaro WILL be there.What's to be confused about? You can't have 60 bands on the main stage , so they have to go in other places , other times. Sidestages aren't just about up n cummers.

Ummm Sam, ROK is not the best festival out there...you know, I know it and when only 2,500 people show up each day everyone else will know it. You may think it has the best talent but unfortunately the public doesn't know more than half of the bands on the bill and there is really on one true headliner (Twisted Sister) and that is even debatable. Regardless, the numbers will speak louder than words and when you see how many (or should I say little) people show up for ROK this year there will be no argument left.

And Sam I think Allyson was stating that there are bands on the side stages that she thinks should be on the main stage (i agree with this as well). Actually that should be a credit to you since you put together the side stages.

I was among the first to comment how weak the lineup is -- Stryper is NOT headline material -- but I would not be surprised if a larger act signs up soon. Hope so, anyway, before it's too late. Why isn't Adler Appetite playing? I thought Chip loved Rocklahoma?

Joke on the Range is an alternative / nu-metal fest Allyson. Sorry but I would never go watch a bunch of bands who either whine and/or yell angst-ridden B.S. to a bunch of badly dressed teens. No talent , No fun , No thanks. :+)

Sam you are so ignorant it is unreal...there are a ton of really good ROCK bands at Rock on the Range. Just because they did not form in 1983 doesn't mean a band cannot still be good. Maybe you should lighten up a bit and be more open minded...